5.3.13

A long time staple of the Sunday Night Dinner menu, almost every family has their own special recipe for making spaghetti. As such, there is no right (or wrong) way to do it. In fact, as you may have already guessed, you don't even have to use actual SPAGHETTI when recreating this family favorite. This particular recipe is not only delicious, it is also quick (30 minutes or less? Yes, please!), simple, and heart healthy - substituting the traditional ground beef with ground turkey and replacing your average white pasta with a nutrient superior whole wheat version .

What You'll Need:

1 pkg whole wheat penne pasta

1 lb. ground turkey

1 26oz jar tomato based pasta sauce (ie: tomato basil marinara)

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs dried oregano

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

salt & pepper

2 bay leaves (optional)

red chili flakes (optional)

How to Make It Happen:
Drizzle olive oil into deep frying pan and set heat to medium high. Once warm add ground turkey - seasoning with salt & pepper. As the turkey browns, bring a large pot of water and a dash of salt to a boil. Once the turkey is fully cooked, add sauce, garlic powder, chili powder and dried oregano (crushing dried oregano between palms as you sprinkle it in) as well as bay leaves and red chili flakes, if desired. Reduce sauce to a simmer and cover pan. Next, add penne to boiling water and allow to cook for 9-11 minutes. When pasta is al denta, drain and set aside. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before combining with penne and serving.